Let’s speak about our likes and dislikes

 

If you like something you use such words or phrases

 

like

I like taking care of pets. What do you like doing? He likes reading science fiction. She likes music.

really like

She really likes embroidering. Do you really like learning grammar?

love

She loves growing flowers. What does your friend love doing?

be crazy about, be mad about

His friend is crazy about extreme sports. He’s mad about bungee jumping. What are you crazy about?

be one’s craze

What’s your craze? My mum’s craze is horse riding.

adore

What do you adore doing in your spare time? She adores painting.

prefer

I prefer reading comics. What does he prefer doing in his spare time?

 

What’s the meaning of the phrase “my cup of tea”?

Something or someone that one finds pleasing: Learning English is my cup of tea. Jane is just my cup of tea.

  

be someone’s piece of cake  or  be one’s pair of shoes – to describe something that suits you exactly, or is your taste

Singing is her piece of cake. English is my piece of cake. I like Abba, they are just my pair of shoes. Teaching is just my pair of shoes.

 

be into

Are you into English? We are into learning English. What’s your friend into?

enjoy

She enjoys rollerblading. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

be fond of

He’s fond of snowboarding. They’re fond of meeting new people and learning traditions. What are you fond of?

be interested in

She’s interested in learning languages. Are you interested in history?

be keen on

He’s keen on photography. What are you keen on?

be good at

What are you good at? I’m good at drawing. My friend is good at photography.

 … is my thing

Fishing is my thing.

take pleasure in

She takes pleasure in her work. They take pleasure in admiring the beautiful scenery.

 revel in  to enjoy something very much

She reveled in her success.

 dig    (slang)  like, admire

High school students dig short poetry.

 cotton to (US informal) If you cotton to someone or something, you start to like them.

 His style of humor was very human, and that’s why people cotton to him. We  cottoned to our new neighbors right away. He doesn’t cotton to the idea of having children.

dote on    to give a lot of love or attention to (someone or something)

She doted on her new grandchild.

drink in    to stop and look at or listen to something in order to enjoy it fully

The view is so beautiful. Let’s just take a minute to drink it all in.

fancy  (like)

He’s all right, I suppose, but I can’t say that I fancy him.

get a charge out of  (to be amused by)

The children got a charge out of the juggler.

 have a ball  (informal,  to have fun, to spend time in a very enjoyable way)

Everyone had a ball at the party.

 

If you neither like nor dislike something you may say

I don’t mind doing the housework. I don’t mind watching opera.

 Do you fancy watching a film?

Do you feel like going to the theatre?

 

In reply to a question if you like something or not, you can say:

I don’t really care either way.

It’s all the same to me.

I’m not all that keen, actually.

I must say I don’t have any preferences here.

I must say both sound equally good to me.

 

Be careful when you use “I don’t mind …”

  • Do you mind playing football? No, I don’t mind.
  • Although it’s a negative form, it means that’s OK for me. I neither love it nor hate it.

 

 If you don’t like something you use such words or phrases

 

If you don’t like something or somebody you say “not my cup of tea”.

Climbing is not my cup of tea. He’s so boring. He is not my cup of tea.

 

I don’t like canoeing. He doesn’t like cooking very much.

I’m not into hiking.

I’m not interested in history.

I’m not fond of jogging. He isn’t very fond of doing the gardening.

I’m not crazy about skateboarding.

I’m not mad about sailing.

I don’t enjoy fishing. She doesn’t enjoy swimming.

Horse riding isn’t really his thing.

I dislike wasting time.

He’s not a great fan of football. I’m not a great fan of modern art.

I’m bad at ski-jumping.

Modern art isn’t my thing.

 

If you really dislike something

 

I don’t like sport at all.

He can’t stand his boss.

She can’t bear cooking in a dirty kitchen.

I hate crowded supermarkets.

He detests being late.

She loathes celery.

I abhor violence in any form.

 

Grammar Note

 

To talk about your general likes or dislikes, follow this pattern:

like something or like doing something.

I like music. I like listening to music.

 

Remember that I’d like… is for specific present or future wishes.
I like swimming.  =  I like swimming generally.
I’d like to go swimming this afternoon.  (I want to go swimming at a specific time in the future.)

 

Be careful where you put very much or a lot. These words should go after the thing that you like.

I like reading very much. NOT: I like very much reading.